The present invention relates to sprinklers. It relates particularly to the oscillator type sprinkler which includes a water distributor tube carrying a plurality of spray nozzles along its length oriented at different angles in order to distribute the water over a wide area. While the invention is particularly useful in the above-described oscillator-type sprinkler, it can also advantageously be used in a rotary-type sprinkler, as will be apparent from the description below.
One of the advantages of oscillating sprinklers is that they produce a rectangular wetting pattern, as distinguished from the conventional rotatable sprinklers which produce a circular wetting pattern. However, because of the large number of spray nozzles fed by the oscillating water distributor tube, such oscillating sprinklers require a relatively high pressure in the water supply line in order to wet a given size area. Thus, if the water pressure of the supply line is not sufficiently high, the range of the sprinkler may be substantially restricted. In addition, because of the large number of nozzles fed from the oscillating water distributor, the nozzles must be of relatively small diameter, thereby producing small-diameter spray jets having not only a relatively short range, but also relatively high wind and evaportation losses. Moreover, at high pressure the jet streams become mist, which thereby shortens the spray range and reduces substantially the sprinkler coverage.
An object of the present invention is to provide a sprinkler having advantages in the above respects.